Generally they were born the slaves of barbarian masters, untaught in all the useful arts and occupations, reared in heathen darkness, they were transferred to shores enlightened by the rays of Christianity.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heathen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What Do pagan and heathen Really Mean?

Pagan is derived from the Late Latin paganus, which was used at the end of the Roman Empire to name those who practiced a religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Early Christians often used the term to refer to non-Christians who worshiped multiple deities. In Latin, paganus originally meant “country dweller” or “civilian;” it is believed that the word’s religious meanings developed either from the enduring non-Christian religious practices of those who lived far from the Roman cities where Christianity was more quickly adopted, or from the fact that early Christians referred to themselves as “soldiers of Christ,” making nonbelievers “civilians.”

The definition and etymology of heathen overlap with those of pagan: both words denote “an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible,” and heathen, like pagan, is believed to have come from the term for a country inhabitant, or in this case, a "heath dweller."

Both words have developed broader and pejorative meanings over time, with pagan being used to mean “an irreligious or hedonistic person” and heathen “uncivilized” or “strange,” but their original meanings are still in use.

Origin and Etymology of heathen

Middle English hethen, from Old English hǣthen; akin to Old High German heidan heathen, and probably to Old English hǣth heath

The timing of this brouhaha — not just in the liturgical calendar, but for Americans, in an era of 24/7 preoccupation with the heathen in the White House — has obviously been noticed by the faithful:
LMAO.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heathen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.